Nigerian singer Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has advised fellow artists to set their sights on international stardom rather than focusing solely on local success.
Taking to his Instagram Story on Tuesday, the Grammy-winning artist expressed concern over the perceived overvaluation of domestic streaming achievements, stressing that financial returns from Nigerian music streams are minimal compared to those from Western countries.
“Dear artist, don’t let Twitter polls and ‘Naija social media fans’ deceive you. They won’t fill up any stadium for you in any part of the world,” Burna Boy wrote.
He went on to highlight the stark contrast in revenue from music streaming:
“1,000,000 Nigerian streams = $300/€400
1,000,000 UK streams = $3000/€4000
1,000,000 US streams = $3000/€4000
1,000,000 Euro streams = $3000/€4000”
“Your song being number 1 on any platform in Nigeria is not something to celebrate. Aim higher or do other business on the side. I type with love.”
The self-acclaimed “African Giant” has consistently encouraged African artists to expand their reach and build global careers, drawing from his own success on international platforms and performances at sold-out venues around the world.